Scientists in 2025 recorded notable advances in the study of consciousness, as researchers across neuroscience, psychology and medicine revisited long-standing questions about awareness and the human mind. According to reports by The Debrief, new findings challenged traditional assumptions about where consciousness originates and how it shapes perception, pushing the topic further into empirical scientific inquiry.
One controversial peer-reviewed paper published in AIP Advances proposed that “universal consciousness” may have existed before the Big Bang, suggesting awareness could be a foundational feature of reality rather than a byproduct of matter. While heavily debated, the study reflects a growing scientific openness to exploring consciousness through cosmology and theoretical physics, rather than limiting the subject to philosophy alone.
Closer to biology, studies from Ruhr University Bochum indicated that consciousness may be more widespread across life forms than previously believed. The researchers argued in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B that consciousness “rather represents a more basic cognitive process, possibly shared with other animal phyla,” reshaping ideas about evolution and human uniqueness.
Other breakthroughs focused on altered states of consciousness, including psychedelic therapy and competing brain theories. Studies showed psychedelics can reorganize brain networks linked to mental illness, while an Allen Institute study found neural connections that help scientists “understand how our perceptions tie to our thoughts,” reducing emphasis on the prefrontal cortex.
Researchers also highlighted support gaps for near-death experience survivors.